Ice Pops
The sun actually reached its zenith in June, but try telling that to any of the towheads jumping into the pool or dashing through the sprinkler in July. Right now, wet skin is as common as a sunburn. In this high holy month for vacations, we trek everywhere from fancy resorts to bare-bones camp sites, from mountain cabins to shore houses. Wherever we vacation, there’s a good chance that water is close by. A tire swing and a diving board are both expressions of the urge to play, and during summer frolic, that often involves the delight of getting wet.
How elegantly it follows that the simplest expression of a summer treat is a reflection of the simplest expression of summer play: the ice cube. You’d be surprised, or maybe you wouldn’t, how many ice-chewers there are out there. A soda pop from the fountain is correctly served over pebbled ice whereas a more solid chunk lands in an old-fashioned glass as afternoon sun turns to twilight. Chunked ice fills the cooler that we lug to the beach and cubed ice fills the glass from which we sip our tea on the porch. A drippy snow cone flavors our walk through the county fair and presages the slushie we pick up at the convenience store on the way home. And whether we stop roadside or meander through the park, we gnaw on an ice pop.
Our July of backyard cooking and summertime treats concludes with the simplest summertime treat outside of sunshine itself: ice pops. Once you get the hang of it, ice pops are simple to make. Molds are inexpensive to obtain and, especially this time of year, easy to locate. But anyone who grew up in the mid-century American suburbs knows that all you really need to make ice pops are and ice cube tray and some Dixie cups, and a box of toothpicks.
After your first successful batch of ice pops, you will find yourself inspired to try to freeze just about anything. Here are a few rules of thumb to help you. Generally speaking, freezing intensifies flavor but sometimes it can flatten it out. For ice pops, it is best to freeze liquids that have a strong flavor. Deeply sweet substances like grape, pineapple or watermelon juice will require little intercession, but subtler ones like banana, strawberry or avocado will need some help. For that, I have also included the recipe for simple syrup, a sweet sugar-water that also belongs at the urban bar. Speaking of bars, while I support the bartenders among us in getting excited about freezing margaritas and daiquiris into ice pops, none of the recipes below are for that. If you want to make grown-up ice pops, remember that while some types of alcohol freeze acceptably, none freezes solid. Grown-up ice pops will have a softer texture than those made with juice or water.
Ice Pops
Most ice pop molds make six pops; that is how these recipes are written. In our urban home, we use Tovolo ice pop molds; to obtain them, click here. When ready to serve a frozen ice pop, run it under warm water until the mold loosens and slides off of the pop.
Concord Grape
Pour unsweetened concord grape juice into the molds to the fill line. Attach the stick to each mold. Freeze as directed.
Apple
Pour unsweetened apple juice into the molds to the fill line. Attach the stick to each mold. Freeze as directed.
Grapefruit
Juice two to three large grapefruits; for a typical mold set you will need approximately 2 cups juice. Use a strainer to remove pith and seeds from the grapefruit juice. If you wish, mix two tablespoons simple syrup into the grapefruit juice. Pour the juice into the molds to the fill line. Attach the stick to each mold. Freeze as directed.
Strawberry-Banana
Clean one small dry pint strawberries under cool water. Use the tip of a sharp knife to remove the leaf and hull from each berry (for detailed instructions, click here or here). Roughly chop the strawberries and place them into the bowl of a blender or food processor.
Peel two medium bananas. Use the tip of a sharp knife to remove any black or brown discolorations. Roughly chop the bananas and place them into the bowl with the strawberries.
Pulse the fruit mixture until it is pebbly but not liquefied, not unlike jam.
Taste the mixture. If warranted, add 1 tablespoon simple syrup to the mixture and pulse to combine.
Spoon the strawberry-banana mixture into the molds to the fill line. Attach the stick to each mold. Freeze as directed.
Cucumber-Mint
Peel two large or three medium cucumbers so that no green peel is visible. Use a sharp knife to split the cucumbers lengthwise. Wedge a spoon underneath the seeds and scrape down to remove and discard the seeds. Roughly chop the peeled, seeded cucumber and place them into the bowl of a blender or food processor.
Place four large sprigs of fresh mint into the bowl with the cucumbers.
Pulse the mixture until the cucumbers liquefy and the mint is distributed throughout the mixture in flecks.
Add 1 tablespoon simple syrup to the mixture and pulse to combine.
Pour the mixture into the molds to the fill line. Attach the stick to each mold. Freeze as directed.
Green Tea
Place 1 – 1-1/4 cups cold filtered water into a saucepan. Add three green tea bags to the water.
Bring the water to the boil. Once it reaches a hard rolling boil, turn off the burner and cover the pot. Steep the tea until very strongly flavored; approximately five minutes.
Remove and discard the tea bags. Measure three tablespoons simple syrup into the hot tea; stir or swirl to combine.
Carefully pour the tea into the molds to the fill line. Attach the stick to each mold. Freeze as directed.
Simple Syrup
Measure one cup granulated sugar into a clean saucepan. Slowly pour one cup filtered water into the pan.
Turn the burner to low.
Use a wire whisk to carefully stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves into the water. It should be thick and clear with no sugar crystals. If crystals appear, stir until they dissolve.
Turn off the burner and let the syrup cool. Pour through a funnel into a bottle and attach a spout to the bottle. Refrigerate.
How elegantly it follows that the simplest expression of a summer treat is a reflection of the simplest expression of summer play: the ice cube. You’d be surprised, or maybe you wouldn’t, how many ice-chewers there are out there. A soda pop from the fountain is correctly served over pebbled ice whereas a more solid chunk lands in an old-fashioned glass as afternoon sun turns to twilight. Chunked ice fills the cooler that we lug to the beach and cubed ice fills the glass from which we sip our tea on the porch. A drippy snow cone flavors our walk through the county fair and presages the slushie we pick up at the convenience store on the way home. And whether we stop roadside or meander through the park, we gnaw on an ice pop.
Our July of backyard cooking and summertime treats concludes with the simplest summertime treat outside of sunshine itself: ice pops. Once you get the hang of it, ice pops are simple to make. Molds are inexpensive to obtain and, especially this time of year, easy to locate. But anyone who grew up in the mid-century American suburbs knows that all you really need to make ice pops are and ice cube tray and some Dixie cups, and a box of toothpicks.
After your first successful batch of ice pops, you will find yourself inspired to try to freeze just about anything. Here are a few rules of thumb to help you. Generally speaking, freezing intensifies flavor but sometimes it can flatten it out. For ice pops, it is best to freeze liquids that have a strong flavor. Deeply sweet substances like grape, pineapple or watermelon juice will require little intercession, but subtler ones like banana, strawberry or avocado will need some help. For that, I have also included the recipe for simple syrup, a sweet sugar-water that also belongs at the urban bar. Speaking of bars, while I support the bartenders among us in getting excited about freezing margaritas and daiquiris into ice pops, none of the recipes below are for that. If you want to make grown-up ice pops, remember that while some types of alcohol freeze acceptably, none freezes solid. Grown-up ice pops will have a softer texture than those made with juice or water.
Ice Pops
Most ice pop molds make six pops; that is how these recipes are written. In our urban home, we use Tovolo ice pop molds; to obtain them, click here. When ready to serve a frozen ice pop, run it under warm water until the mold loosens and slides off of the pop.
Concord Grape
Pour unsweetened concord grape juice into the molds to the fill line. Attach the stick to each mold. Freeze as directed.
Apple
Pour unsweetened apple juice into the molds to the fill line. Attach the stick to each mold. Freeze as directed.
Grapefruit
Juice two to three large grapefruits; for a typical mold set you will need approximately 2 cups juice. Use a strainer to remove pith and seeds from the grapefruit juice. If you wish, mix two tablespoons simple syrup into the grapefruit juice. Pour the juice into the molds to the fill line. Attach the stick to each mold. Freeze as directed.
Strawberry-Banana
Clean one small dry pint strawberries under cool water. Use the tip of a sharp knife to remove the leaf and hull from each berry (for detailed instructions, click here or here). Roughly chop the strawberries and place them into the bowl of a blender or food processor.
Peel two medium bananas. Use the tip of a sharp knife to remove any black or brown discolorations. Roughly chop the bananas and place them into the bowl with the strawberries.
Pulse the fruit mixture until it is pebbly but not liquefied, not unlike jam.
Taste the mixture. If warranted, add 1 tablespoon simple syrup to the mixture and pulse to combine.
Spoon the strawberry-banana mixture into the molds to the fill line. Attach the stick to each mold. Freeze as directed.
Cucumber-Mint
Peel two large or three medium cucumbers so that no green peel is visible. Use a sharp knife to split the cucumbers lengthwise. Wedge a spoon underneath the seeds and scrape down to remove and discard the seeds. Roughly chop the peeled, seeded cucumber and place them into the bowl of a blender or food processor.
Place four large sprigs of fresh mint into the bowl with the cucumbers.
Pulse the mixture until the cucumbers liquefy and the mint is distributed throughout the mixture in flecks.
Add 1 tablespoon simple syrup to the mixture and pulse to combine.
Pour the mixture into the molds to the fill line. Attach the stick to each mold. Freeze as directed.
Green Tea
Place 1 – 1-1/4 cups cold filtered water into a saucepan. Add three green tea bags to the water.
Bring the water to the boil. Once it reaches a hard rolling boil, turn off the burner and cover the pot. Steep the tea until very strongly flavored; approximately five minutes.
Remove and discard the tea bags. Measure three tablespoons simple syrup into the hot tea; stir or swirl to combine.
Carefully pour the tea into the molds to the fill line. Attach the stick to each mold. Freeze as directed.
Simple Syrup
Measure one cup granulated sugar into a clean saucepan. Slowly pour one cup filtered water into the pan.
Turn the burner to low.
Use a wire whisk to carefully stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves into the water. It should be thick and clear with no sugar crystals. If crystals appear, stir until they dissolve.
Turn off the burner and let the syrup cool. Pour through a funnel into a bottle and attach a spout to the bottle. Refrigerate.
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